Hong Kong stocks finished Friday with a flourish as investors were cheered by easing tensions in the China-US trade row while also betting on another interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve next week.
The Hang Seng Index jumped 0.98 percent, or 265.06 points, to 27,352.69.
Source : AFP

U.S. stocks closed mostly lower on Friday after easing trade tensions and central bank policy moves briefly buoyed investor sentiment earlier in the day.
The S&P 500 was down less than 0.1% to end near 3,007. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 36 points, or 0.1%, to finish around...

Oil futures finished lower on Friday, with both U.S. and international benchmark crude posting sizable weekly falls as worries about the prospect of rising inventories appeared to overshadow a U.S.-China tariff detente.
West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery fell 24 cents, or 0.4%, to...

The data published by the US Census Bureau today revealed that retail and food services sail in August rose 0.4% on a monthly basis to $526.1 billion and beat the market expectation for an increase of 0.2%. On a yearly basis, retail sales grew by 4.1%.
Total sales for the June 2019 through August 2019 period were up 3.7% from the same period a year ago. The June 2019 to July 2019 percent change was revised from up 0.7% to up 0.8%, the publication further revealed.
The initial market reaction helped the USD recover a small portion of its recent losses and the US Dollar Index was last down 0.22% on the day at 98.15.
Source: FXStreet

U.S. factory orders for business equipment increased in July for a third month, at the same time shipments of such goods plunged the most since October 2016 in a sign that capital investment remains tepid in light of slower global growth and a ratcheting up of trade tensions.
Bookings for non-military capital goods orders excluding aircraft -- a proxy for business investment -- rose 0.4%...

Shrinking order books and expectations for a decline in output signal companies in Europes largest economy are bracing for a possible recession.
German manufacturing shrank for an eighth month in August, barely offset by still-solid services, according to IHS Markit. Overall business confidence declined and orders fell for the third time in four months. A Purchasing...

Frances private sector unexpectedly gained speed in August as solid performance in services was complemented by a return to growth in manufacturing.
IHS Markits Purchasing Managers Index rose to 52.7 from 51.9 in July, defying economists predictions for a slight weakening. The increase was driven by a broad-based pickup in demand, with new orders expanding at the fastest...

Two gauges of manufacturing sentiment held their own in August, according to data released Thursday.
The Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index fell slightly to a reading of 16.8 in August from 21.8 in July. Economists had expected a much bigger drop to 11.1, according to Econoday.
The Empire State Index, meanwhile inched up at a reading of 4.8 in August from 4.3 in July, the New York Fed said....

Retail sales grew by more than expected in the US in July.
US Dollar Index gains traction on the back of upbeat data.
According to the data released by the US Census Bureau on Thursday, retail sales in the United States increased by 0.7% on a monthly basis in July and beat the market expectation of 0.3%. With the initial market reaction, the Greenback gathered strength and the US Dollar Index...

British retail sales in July grew 3.3% compared to a year ago, according to data released Thursday. Economists polled by FactSet expected a 2.6% rise. The Office for National Statistics said both value and volume rose in July, and department stores saw the first increase this year.
Source: marketwatch

Australia's labor market continued to defy gravity in July, adding almost three times the forecast number of jobs, while unemployment remained unchanged as the labor force swelled further.
Jobs rose 41,100 from June, compared with economists' forecast of a 14,000 gain; the unemployment rate held at 5.2%, matching estimates
Full-time positions jumped 34,500; part-time roles gained...

The UK Consumer Prices Index (CPI) 12-month rate came in at 2.1% in July, when compared to 2.0% booked in June while bettering expectations of a 1.9% print, the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the core inflation gauge (excluding volatile food and energy items) arrived at 1.9% y/y last month versus 1.8% booked in June while matching the consensus...

The German economy shrank in the second quarter, dragged down by a slump in exports, preliminary data showed on Wednesday, as manufacturers in Europe's largest economy are hit by weaker foreign demand and trade disputes.
Gross domestic product (GDP) fell 0.1% quarter-on-quarter after a confirmed growth rate of 0.4% in the first three months of the year, the Federal Statistics Office said.
The...

Hong Kong stocks finished Friday with a flourish as investors were cheered by easing tensions in the China-US trade row while also betting on another interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve next week.
The Hang Seng Index jumped 0.98 percent, or 265.06 points, to 27,352.69.
Source : AFP

U.S. stocks closed mostly lower on Friday after easing trade tensions and central bank policy moves briefly buoyed investor sentiment earlier in the day.
The S&P 500 was down less than 0.1% to end near 3,007. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 36 points, or 0.1%, to finish around...

Oil futures finished lower on Friday, with both U.S. and international benchmark crude posting sizable weekly falls as worries about the prospect of rising inventories appeared to overshadow a U.S.-China tariff detente.
West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery fell 24 cents, or 0.4%, to...